Snake robber, in jail in New York, charged by Ridley police for attempted murder

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP - DNA evidence located by a local K-9 officer was key in cracking the bizarre case of the robbery and shooting of a Bucks County snake dealer at the Woodlyn Shopping Center in January, police said.

Police Lt. Scott Willoughby also credits the FBI and his team of detectives for putting together the evidence that linked Rasheem D. Dowdy of Allentown to the armed robbery and shooting that took place around 5 p.m. in the shopping center parking lot Jan. 22. Dowdy, who police say has an extensive criminal history in three states, is currently incarcerated on Riker's Island in New York on rape charges.

"Darby Township Officer Mike Andrel and his K-9 partner Yago did a fantastic job," Willoughby said. "He was able to bring us to every piece of evidence we recovered, including the black 9-millimeter Beretta used in the crime."

An arrest warrant has been issued for Dowdy, 32, who also goes by the alias Jermaine Harper, on charges of attempted homicide firearms violations, aggravated assault, robbery and related offenses.

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Police say Dowdy is the man who robbed and shot a Doylestown snake breeder then stole his SUV and the snakes before crashing the vehicle off of MacDade Boulevard on a snowy Sunday in January.

According to the affidavit of probable cause written by Detective William J. Henderson Jr.: Mark L. Haas had brokered a $12,600 deal to sell 20 baby and one 6-foot ball python to a buyer who was traveling from New York to Georgia. The two made arrangements through text messaging to meet at 5 p.m. at the Woodlyn Shopping Center off of MacDade Boulevard, where there is easy access to I-95, police said.

Haas arrived first, parked at the shopping center then received a text message from the buyer saying he would be there in 15 minutes. Haas got out of his black Toyota Rav4 and went into Church's Chicken. When he returned to his vehicle, he heard a man's voice demanding he throw down the car keys.

"Get out of the car and throw your keys on the ground," the man ordered the affidavit states. "Give me your cell phone. I'm not playing ... I will kill you."

The victim complied, ran around to the passenger side of the SUV as the suspect got into the driver's seat. The suspect pulled out a handgun, pointed it at Haas and fired, striking him in the chest, the affidavit states. As Haas fell to the ground, the suspect sped out of the shopping center, heading eastbound on MacDade Boulevard.

Critically injured, Haas was able to get inside of Church's Chicken Restaurant, where he collapsed onto the floor. He was transported to Crozer-Chester Medical Center's Trauma Unit in serious condition. Haas has since recovered, police said.

A short time after the shooting, police received calls of a reckless driver in a black sports utility vehicle traveling east on MacDade. The SUV crashed into a utility pole at Willowbrook Avenue, then continued traveling south on Edgwood Avenue. Police found the abandoned vehicle one block south where Edgewood dead ends. Police believe Dowdy had an accomplice waiting for him nearby.

Police set up a perimeter around the area and called in Darby Township's K-9. They followed fresh footprints in the snow into a nearby wooded area where the K-9 officer located a black Beretta handgun that was later found to have been reported stolen from Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. The K-9 tracked further and located a black jacket, scarf and a 357 magnum revolver, the affidavit states. The evidence was taken to Guardian Forensic Sciences along with hair and other items found inside the stolen SUV.

"Each and every piece of evidence the dog found was linked back to Rasheem Dowdy," Willoughby said.

FBI Agent Robert Lockhart from the Newtown Square Office assisted with cell phone leads that took police to New York and to Dowdy. Willoughby interviewed Dowdy at Rikers Island, and obtained a DNA sample. On April 13, police received confirmation that the DNA profile from the sample taken from Dowdy matched the samples taken from the Beretta, the clothing and the hair found inside of the victim's SUV.

Willoughby credited everyone who worked on the case, saying that initially they had nothing to go on but a cell phone number.

"It was a giant puzzle broken into a lot of pieces and it took a lot of teamwork from the FBI, Darby Township Police and our entire detective division," he said. "Everyone did a fantastic job and worked tirelessly to put the puzzle back together and come up with an arrest.

Dowdy will be brought back to face charges in Pennsylvania once the New York criminal case is completed.